Former Stony Brook running back Miguel Maysonet was released by the Browns Friday. It was a surprising move by a team that is thin at running back behind Trent Richardson.

Maysonet touched the ball once in the final preseason game Thursday, catching the only pass thrown to him for 1 yard. He did not play in the third game but rushed 13 times for 30 yards in the first two, catching three passes for 14 yards.

In his senior year at Stony Brook, Maysonet was runner-up for the Walter Payton Award as the outstanding player in the Football Championship Subdivision after rushing for 1,964 yards and scoring 23 TDs. After going undrafted, Maysonet signed as a free agent with Philadelphia but was waived in May and picked up by the Browns.

When veteran running backs Dion Lewis and Montario Hardesty were placed on injured reserve, it created a roster opening, but Maysonet was unable to seize it. There still is a possibility he could be claimed on waivers or be signed to an NFL practice squad. Maysonet texted Newsday that he plans to "keep trying" to make an NFL roster.

"It's always a disappointment when you put your all into something and the outcome isn't what you expected,'' Maysonet told Newsday. "I really do appreciate the Browns organization and letting me be a part of what they are building there . . . Now for me, I'm just going to wait and see what happens in the next 48 hours with the waivers and hopefully get picked up. Just have to stay positive.''

With Kimberley A. Martin

Subscribe to Newsday’s sports newsletter for stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events.